Careers in Pharmacy

Academic Pharmacists

These specialists work in colleges of pharmacy as teachers, researchers and consultants for industry.

Ambulatory Pharmacists

An ambulatory pharmacist’s responsibility is to manage patients at risk for drug-related problems, such as adverse reactions. They also supervise patients with chronic diseases, including diabetes and asthma, and those unlikely to take their medication or to take it as prescribed. Ambulatory pharmacists work in outpatient clinics, psychiatric wards and in specialties such as HIV or renal transplantation.

Clinical Research Pharmacists

There is an increasing demand for clinical pharmacists to fill research roles. The job responsibilities in these positions can vary greatly. Clinical researches can support clinical trials and coordinate the research and development process to bring medications to the market to ultimately help patients.

Community Pharmacists

Community pharmacists provide general health care advice and supply prescription and non-prescription medication to the public. One of the most popular jobs in the pharmacy profession, community pharmacists are often a primary source of health information for a patient and readily accessible for addressing a patient’s health needs. As medication experts, community pharmacists provide counsel on the treatment of a variety of health related concerns and reduce overall costs by helping to ensure that patients consistently take their medications and by referring them to generic treatment options when they are available.

Also known as long-term-care pharmacists, these professionals make sure residents of extended-care facilities get the correct dose of medication at the right frequency. Consultant pharmacists also work in subacute care, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and in home- and community-based care.

Critical-Care Pharmacists

These pharmacists play a major role in hospital intensive-care units, working with lifesaving drugs. They optimize each patient’s drug therapy and go on rounds with doctors to ensure patients don’t experience adverse reactions. They also help doctors choose the most beneficial, cost-effective medication.

Drug Information Pharmacists

These pharmacists help hospitals answer queries about the best use of drug therapies. They also write and compile articles for scientific journals and continuing-education materials.

Home-Care Pharmacists

Home-care pharmacists are similar to their hospital counterparts in that they prepare medications and educate patients on medication use and storage at home.

Hospice Pharmacists

This specialty works with medications that include controlled substances prescribed for terminally ill patients. Hospice pharmacists work at hospice agencies or at pharmacies serving hospice patients.

Industrial Pharmacists

Pharmacists in this specialty oversee all aspects of drug production for pharmaceutical companies. They can specialize in the production of a certain type of drug, such as aerosol or topical medications, tablets or capsules.

Infectious Disease Pharmacists

These professionals work in hospitals to implement decisions regarding use of therapeutic antibiotics, monitor patients and enforce formulary restrictions on antibiotics. A formulary is a list of insurance-approved drugs and their proper dosages.

Managed-Care Pharmacists

Within managed-care environments, such as HMOs or pharmacy-benefit management companies, these pharmacists review drug use and are involved in outcomes research, disease management, cost-analysis programs and pharmacy benefit design.

Nuclear Pharmacists

This specialization involves the procurement, compounding, quality assurance, dispensing, distribution and development of radiopharmaceuticals. These pharmacists also monitor patient outcomes and provide information and consultation regarding health and safety issues.

Nutrition Support Pharmacists

These pharmacists design and modify use of nutritional supplements to treat cancer patients, diabetics, pregnant women and others needing special nutrition support.

Oncology Pharmacists

Oncology pharmacists analyze pharmaceutical aspects of cancer-care programs to ensure optimal results. They also help improve the quality and safety of chemotherapy mixtures by monitoring dosing and administration.

Pediatric Pharmacists

This pharmacy subset specializes in medications used to treat or prevent conditions in children. Pediatric pharmacists often compound medications for specific ages and weights.

Pharmaceutical Detailers

These professionals inform physicians about new drugs and promote ethical drug use for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Pharmacist Attorneys

These pharmacists possess law degrees and deal with issues pertaining to pharmacists’ rights and duties. They work in various settings, including hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and corporations.